animal welfare in ethiopia: handling of cattle during
TRANSCRIPT
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet Fakulteten för veterinärmedicin och husdjursvetenskap Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science
Animal welfare in Ethiopia: Handling of cattle during transport and operations at Kera Abattoir,
Addis Abeba
Antonia Grönvall
Examensarbete / SLU, Institutionen för husdjurens utfodring och vård, 462
Uppsala 2013
Degree project / Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, 462
Examensarbete, 15 hp
Kandidatarbete
Husdjursvetenskap
Degree project, 15 hp
Bachelor Thesis
Animal Science
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet Fakulteten för veterinärmedicin och husdjursvetenskap Institutionen för husdjurens utfodring och vård
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science Department of Animal Nutrition and Management
Animal welfare in Ethiopia: Handling of cattle during transport and operations at Kera Abattoir, Addis Abeba Antonia Grönvall Handledare:
Supervisor: Girma Gebresenbet, SLU, Department of Energy and Technology
Examinator:
Examiner: Peter Udén, SLU, Department of Animal Nutrition and Management
Omfattning:
Extent: 15 hp
Kurstitel:
Course title: Degree Project in Animal Science
Kurskod:
Course code: EX0550
Program:
Programme: Agricultural Science Programme - Animal Science
Nivå:
Level: Basic G2E
Utgivningsort:
Place of publication: Uppsala
Utgivningsår:
Year of publication: 2013
Serienamn, delnr: Examensarbete / Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, Institutionen för husdjurens utfodring och
vård, 462
Series name, part No:
On-line publicering: http://epsilon.slu.se
On-line published:
Nyckelord:
Key words: Ethiopia, cattle, animal welfare, animal handling, animal behavior, slaughter, animal
transport, supply chain
1
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to evaluate animal welfare situation in Ethiopia during
slaughter and to investigate chain activities between animal markets and Kera abattoir in
Addis Abeba. In total, 442 animals were observed within 52 groups of cattle; both ox and
calves with different breeds. The study was divided into four different sets of data collection;
behavioural observations, recording of slaughter process, observation during transport and
interview. During the behavioural observations, an ethogram was used with 46 behaviours
observed, categorised into 5 different groups. The data was calculated using Excel and SAS.
The results indicated that a significant correlation (p-value<5%) between abusive handling
“beating of body” (frequency 46%) and aggressive animal behaviour “aggressiveness”
(frequency 23%). In the supply chain, distance between Kera abattoir and the eight, most
common markets, varied from <1 km to >600 km. To improve animal welfare and hence,
Ethiopia’s agricultural sector, further studies must be made, with more detailed measurements
such as heart rate, glycogen and pH-value.
Keywords: Ethiopia, cattle, animal welfare, animal handling, animal behavior, slaughter,
animal transport, supply chain
Sammanfattning
Målet med den här studien var att undersöka dagens djurvälfärd på Kera abattoir i Addis
Abeba, Etiopien. Målet var också att kartlägga transportkedjan av djur mellan slakteriet och
djurmarknader runt om i Etiopien. Totalt observerades 442 djur, inom 52 grupper med både
oxar och kalvar av olika raser. Undersökningen delades upp i fyra olika steg;
beteendeobservationer, observation av slaktprocessen, observation av transport samt en
intervju med en anställd på slakteriet. 46 olika beteenden observerades och delades in i fem
olika grupper som definierades i ett ethogram och delades upp i fem olika grupper. Data
beräknades sedan i Excel och SAS och resultaten visade signifikant korrelation (p-värde<5%)
mellan ”beat of body” (46% frekvens) och ”aggressiveness” (23% frekvens). I den kartlagda
transportkedjan varierade avståndet mellan Kera abattoir och de åtta, vanligaste
djurmarknaderna, mellan <1 km till >600 km. För att förbättra djurens välbefinnande, och
därmed Etiopiens jordbrukssektor, måste ytterligare studier göras med detaljerade mätningar
såsom hjärtfrekvens, glykogen och pH - värde.
Nyckelord: Etiopien, nötkreatur, djurskydd, djurhantering, djurens beteende, slakt,
djurtransport, supply chain
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Table of Contents
Abstract ................................................................................................................................................................... 1
Sammanfattning ...................................................................................................................................................... 1
1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 3
2. Literature Review ................................................................................................................................................ 3
2.1 Animal Welfare ............................................................................................................................................ 4
2.2 Slaughter of animals ..................................................................................................................................... 5
2.3 Animal transport ........................................................................................................................................... 6
3. Objectives ........................................................................................................................................................... 8
4. Materials and Methods ........................................................................................................................................ 9
4.1 Study area ..................................................................................................................................................... 9
4.2 Animals ....................................................................................................................................................... 10
4.3 Data collection ............................................................................................................................................ 10
4.3.1 Behavioural observations .................................................................................................................... 10
4.3.2 Recording of slaughter process............................................................................................................ 11
4.3.3 Observation during transport of animals ............................................................................................. 11
4.3.4 Interview .............................................................................................................................................. 11
4.4 Statistical analysis ....................................................................................................................................... 11
5. Results ............................................................................................................................................................... 12
5.1 Behavioural observations ............................................................................................................................ 12
5.1.1 Frequency of behaviours ..................................................................................................................... 12
5.1.2 Kendall’s tau-b correlation coefficient ................................................................................................ 15
5.2 Slaughter process ........................................................................................................................................ 15
5.3 Transportation of animals ........................................................................................................................... 17
5.4 Interview ..................................................................................................................................................... 18
6. Discussion ......................................................................................................................................................... 19
6.1 Behavioural observations ............................................................................................................................ 20
6.1.1 Frequencies of behaviours ................................................................................................................... 20
6.1.2 Correlations of behaviours .................................................................................................................. 20
6.2 Slaughter process ........................................................................................................................................ 21
6.3 Supply chain ............................................................................................................................................... 22
6.4 Interview ..................................................................................................................................................... 22
7. Conclusions ....................................................................................................................................................... 23
Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................... 24
References ............................................................................................................................................................. 25
Appendix 1 ............................................................................................................................................................ 28
Appendix 2 ............................................................................................................................................................ 29
Appendix 3 ............................................................................................................................................................ 31
Appendix 4 ............................................................................................................................................................ 33
Appendix 5 ............................................................................................................................................................ 34
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1. Introduction
Ethiopia is one of Africa's largest exporters of livestock animals and produced 19.32% of
Africa’s cattle production in 2011 (FAOSTAT, 2013). The national economy is one of the
fastest growing in the world and 47% of GDP involve the agricultural sector (Rich et al..,
2009). However, access to the global market is limited by the country's problems with animal
disease, lack of hygiene and animal health. At the same time, the western countries request an
increasing amount of meat available for import and demand a structured and clear supply
chain with consistent quantity and quality (Rich et al., 2009). As meat is the main source of
protein for humans, it should be clean and safe. However, the hygiene and animal welfare are
today suffering because of a lack of knowledge and economic problems in developing
countries. The transport of livestock animals for meat production in Ethiopia are currently
mostly done by foot (trekking) or in best cases by vehicle, mostly during long distances
(Gebremedhim, 2007). This results in long distance journeys with no sufficient food or water
and minimal rest, factors that cause severe stress to the animals (Bulitta et al., 2012)
The World Organisation of Animal Health, OIE, together with the Farm Animal Welfare
Council, FAWC, give recommendations on how to treat animals for livestock production. The
Five Freedoms, stating that any animal kept by humans should be protected from unnecessary
suffering, are backed by FAWC. However, Ethiopia has no guidelines or laws regarding
animal welfare and has no or little knowledge about animal handling for food production.
The aim of this study was therefore, to evaluate the welfare situation of cattle at Addis Abeba
Kera abattoir in Ethiopia. The aim was also to investigate and map the supply chain of cattle
from markets to the abattoir in Addis Abeba.
2. Literature Review
The agricultural sector in Africa is wide and very important, both in the animal- and crop
production. Ethiopia is one of the continent's largest meat exporters and was in 2011
estimated to provide with a total of 19.32% of Africa’s cattle production. The country is
located in the horn of Africa and has approximately 53 million cattle (FAOSTAT, 2013).
Today, the agricultural sector estimates up to 47% of the national GDP and approximately
80% of the labour-force works within agriculture. At the same time, almost 40% of the
population lives in poverty (WorldBank, 2013). The livestock sector is of national importance
and the Ethiopian government has set goals to improve productivity in this sector (Halderman,
2004).
At the same time, the rising population offers a great potential for a higher livestock
production in the African countries and the request of meat production from the western
countries increases each year (Rich et al., 2009). Today, Ethiopia’s earnings from export of
livestock products are relatively low and Gebremedhim (2007) found, in previous studies, that
the central problems were continued use of traditional technologies, a limited supply of food
and water, unstructured animal breeding and high disease prevalence. For example, foot-and-
mouth disease, Aphtae epizooticae, remains a major problem in Africa, an infectious disease
that is already extinct in the developed countries of the western world (Rich et al., 2009). An
improvement of hygiene in slaughterhouses and stricter animal welfare standards would mean
easier access to the global market, which may result in a significant way out of the country's
poverty.
4
The climate in Ethiopia varies a lot, from high temperatures up to 50°C in the Danakil Desert
to periodic snowfall in the peaks of Bale. The capital, Addis Abeba, is located in the central
part of Ethiopia at an altitude of 2,400 m. Due to its high altitude; the temperature is lower
than in the desert and usually varies between 20-25°C. During the rainy seasons between mid-
June and October, the heavy rain with an average of110-280 mm cools down the temperature
to an average of 15 °C (Briggs, 2012).
In Ethiopia, the breeds of cattle vary a lot but are usually mixed with Zebu (Bos Indicus) and
Sanga (Bos Taurus Africanus) (DAGRIS, 2013), with the most popular breeds including
Borana, Horro, Fogera, Arussi, Karayu and Nuer (IBC, 2004). The Zebu cattle is thought to
origin from Africa more than 4000 years ago (Rege, 1999) and the Sanga cattle is believed to
have evolved as a result of crossbreeding Longhorn- Shorthorn- and Zebu cattle, over 3000
years ago (Payne & Wilson, 1999). For all ruminants, including those of Zebu and Sanga,
rumination is a natural behaviour (Trask & Sigmon, 1999). In Ethiopia, the cattle are mainly
used for draught and milk production (Rege & Tawah, 1999).
2.1 Animal Welfare
No significant definition if animal welfare is yet stated, but three general criterias are used;
the biological function, the affective state and the natural state (Mellor et al., 2009). The
biological function means that animals that are healthy, growing and reproducing well, have
good animal welfare (Barnett & Hemsworth, 2003). The affective state includes positive
experiences versus the experience of suffer (Dawkins, 1998). Last, the natural state explains
the animals’ welfare as the extent to how an animal is able to express most of its natural
behaviours (Alroe et al., 2001).
The welfare of an animal includes both its physical and mental state and according to the
Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC, 2013) any animal kept by humans should be
protected from unnecessary suffering. According to the Five Freedoms, the animal’s welfare
is considered as:
1. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst - by ready access to fresh water and a diet to
maintain full health and vigour;
2. Freedom from Discomfort - by providing an appropriate environment including shelter
and a comfortable resting area;
3. Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease - by prevention or rapid diagnosis and
treatment;
4. Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour - by providing sufficient space, proper
facilities and company of the animal's own kind;
5. Freedom from Fear and Distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid
mental suffering.
Furthermore, the World Trade Organisation, OIE, gives, recommendations on how to treat
live domesticated animals in their Terrestrial Animal Health Code (OIE, 2012). According to
article 7.5.2, “animals should be handled in such a way as to avoid harm, distress or injury.
Under no circumstances should animal handlers resort to violent acts to move animals, such
as crushing or breaking tails of animals, grasping their eyes or pulling them by the ears.”
Further on they make specifications on the conditions of lairage and state that animals kept in
outdoor lairage should be given shelter from adverse weather conditions. Ethiopia is not a
member of OIE yet, but has applied for membership in 2003. The Working Party met for the
5
third time in March 2012 to continue the examination of Ethiopia’s foreign trade regime. A
WTO membership could contribute to the fight against poverty, since trade is a proven engine
for economic development.
When evaluating animal welfare, behavioural measurements are among the preferred
methods, since the animals behave in response to the new environment (Broom, 2007).
Furthermore, physiological responses such as hormones can be indicators used when studying
animal welfare. It is also important to separate the different factors of expressed animal
behaviours; fearful animals may be easy to move while animals fearful of humans are likely
to be the most difficult to handle (Hemsworth, 2007).
In developing countries like Ethiopia, long-distance journeys, forcing animals to cross big
rivers that have no bridge and journeys without sufficient food, water and resting time cause
stress to animals. Furthermore, the animals are exposed to high temperatures and heavy rain,
both during transport and in lairage (Bulitta et al., 2012). The stakeholders during transport, at
markets and in abattoirs are usually not educated for their job and have no or less sufficient
knowledge and understanding about the welfare of animals. In general, poor animal welfare
results in loss of weight, physical injuries, sickness and sometimes even death of animals.
2.2 Slaughter of animals
As meat is the main source of protein to humans, it should be clean and free from diseases.
Previous studies by (Jibat et al., 2008) found that there was a significantly high amount of
rejected carcasses at HELMEX abattoir, Debra Zeit. Out of 2688 sheep and goats, 50.1%
livers and 42.9% lungs were prohibited from international markets major due to parasites and
pneumonia. The main factors causing this were animals transported on foot with no or less
food/water and in open, overcrowded vehicles. Another study, done by Woube (2008)
resulted in 76.8% of livers and 61.6% of lungs rejected, mostly due to of parasites and
damage during slaughter. According to The World Organisation of Animal Health, OIE, the
veterinary service of the exporting country has ultimate responsibility for certification of
slaughtered animals (Thomson et al., 2004). However, the process of this is still a worldwide
problem, which is particularly critical within developing countries.
If the animals are stressed before and/or during slaughter, it affects not only animal welfare
but can also give non-wanted consequences on the meat quality (Gregory et al., 2010). As
early as 1944, Hall et al. (1944) found that an elevated pH of dark-cutting meat was directly
related to a deficiency of muscle glycogen before slaughter. Dark-cutting meat is a quality
defect characterized by raised pH, high water-holding capacity, and a dark-red, dry, firm and
sticky texture to the lean muscle. It occurs if the animal is handled under poor animal welfare
conditions before slaughter. The concentration of glycogen varies greatly at the time of
slaughter depending on the muscle, species and nutritional status of the animal, but most of all
on the level of pre-slaughter stress (Immonen et al., 2000). In previous studies dark-cutting
meat are used as indicators for duration of restraint and isolation stress, during for example
long-term and short-term transportation, animal handling and food withdrawal. (Apple et al.,
2005).
In Ethiopia, most of the cattle are slaughtered without stunning, not only due to religious
reasons, but also because of continued traditions and lack of further knowledge about modern
slaughter techniques. When cattle are slaughtered without stunning some animals may take
several minutes before they lose brain function and die. The delay can be a combination of
many factors, such as false aneurysms in the severed carotid arteries and sustained blood flow
6
to the brain (Blackmore, 1984) and previous studies have shown that 8% of cattle slaughtered
without stunning can develop false aneurysms in the carotid arteries (Holleben, 2007).
Aspiration of blood into the upper respiratory tract and lungs can also cause suffering during
slaughter without stunning (Gregory et al., 2010).
Furthermore, OIE (2012) states, in their article 7.5.9, international recommendations for
slaughter of animals. To reduce the risk of possible failure when cutting both carotid arteries
and hence causing severe pain during and after cut, the OIE recommends the abattoirs to have
personal with high level of competency and who are supplied a very sharp knife of sufficient
length.
During slaughter, bad hygiene or the wrong techniques can mean severe consequences to the
meat quality. For example, the step where the carcass is divided into two is a stage during the
slaughter of high risk. As soon as the bone marrow is touched, the risk of spreading the
infectious disease Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, BSE, is very high (Helps et al., 2002).
Furthermore, the hygiene during slaughter is of high importance and dirt and soil are the
primary sources of contamination of carcasses (FAO, 2013).
Right now there is no substantial knowledge in Ethiopia regarding animal welfare and
hygiene in slaughterhouses and there are no explicit rules and regulations on how animal
handling in slaughterhouses should be done (Rich et al., 2009). The issue concerning the
regulation of animal welfare is being discussed more and more internationally (Thomson, et
al., 2004) (Scoones & Wolmer, 2008) but it requires a broader range of scientific studies in
order to implement a legislative change. In order to secure greater market access in other
countries more extensive studies on animal welfare need to be carried out and stricter
requirements on hygiene in animal handling and slaughter are needed.
2.3 Animal transport
In developing countries the transport of animals are mainly by foot, or by ordinary vehicles
not designed for animal transport ( Kenny & Tarrant, 1987). Almost all livestock in Ethiopia
are transported by people on foot (Gebremedhim, 2007). In rare cases during longer distances
vehicles are used, but usually not preferred since trekking is cheaper than transporting the
animals with vehicles. It can vary as much as between 16 ETB/animal for trekking or 60-80
ETB/animal for vehicles for a distance of 200 km (Gebremedhim, 2007). However, traders
prefer the vehicles, to avoid weight loss and declined body condition. In a previous study
(Bulitta et al., 2012) 318 cattle were followed and observed during trekking from Gudar
Market to Addis Abeba. Of these, 16% died with 7.1% due to car accidents and the rest from
lack of water and food, bad condition and/or injuries.
The education of the stakeholders during transport is varied and licence is only required in
some areas of Ethiopia (Gebremedhim, 2007). In Tigray, Oromia and SNNPR no license is
needed for transport of animals and the reasons given for the absence include the difficulty to
control the trading business as the traders are mobile from place to place. Gebremedhim
(2007) found that stakeholders asked for better infrastructure in livestock production with
improved food and water supply, better market information and developed supply chains
between farmers and markets.
7
In previous studies, Aradom (2012), have shown the importance of using proper transport
vehicles for animal transport. The vehicles should be equipped with necessary devises to
improve animal welfare. Aradom also states the beneficial consequences of reducing transport
time and distance; not only as an economic aspect but also in an animal welfare perspective.
Below is a figure made by Aradom (Figure 1), illustrating the animal behaviour and condition
during transportation. Stress including factors, such as transport time and road condition, are
included together with measured responses and the possible end product. In the stress factors,
both behavioural and physiological changes are included, based on a previous study made by
(Broom, 2000). Using these factors and measurements, animal welfare and meat quality can
be studies during animal transports (Aradom, Animal Transport and Welfare with special
emphasis on Transport Time and Vibration including Logistics Chain and Abattoir operations,
2012).
Figure 1: Stress inducing factors and stress responses during animal transport (Aradom, 2012).
The climate may also influence the animal behaviour during transportation, where high
temperature in a vehicle can be a leading cause of poor animal welfare (Warris & Brown,
1994).
8
3. Objectives
The main objective of this study was to evaluate the welfare of cattle at Addis Abeba Kera
abattoir in Ethiopia. Furthermore, the transport of the cattle to the abattoir was examined. The
specific objectives were to:
1. observe the animal handling and animal welfare situation in the lairage at the abattoir,
2. examine the slaughter process,
3. observe the animal handling before and during slaughter, and to
4. map out the supply chain of cattle from markets to the abattoir.
To achieve these objectives, four research questions were defined:
1. Which behaviours were frequently observed in the lairage?
2. Are there any correlations between abusive handling by the stakeholders and the
frequently observed animal behaviours?
3. How are the animals slaughtered?
4. From where do the animals come from and how are they transported?
9
4. Materials and Methods
In Sweden, a pre-study was done for three weeks, to search for background literature and
outlining a behavioural survey. A local abattoir was also visited, were Swedish slaughter
methods and animal handling at the slaughter house was observed and documented.
4.1 Study area
The study was done in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia (see Figure 2a), for approximately 12 weeks
between April 2012 and June 2012. During this time, the weather varied a lot between sun
and high temperature to the rainy season in June with heavy rain and cooler temperatures.
Two students, together with local guides were included in the study. Addis Abeba Kera
abattoir, located around 100 meters from Kera market (see Figure 2b) and built in 1950, was
the only abattoir in the capital and the decision of study area was therefore easy made. The
abattoir slaughtered approximately 1200 animals per day (including cattle, sheep and goat)
and had about 800 male employees involved in the slaughter process.
Figure 2a: Map over Ethiopia and Addis Abeba. Figure 2b: Map over Addis Abeba and Kera abattoir.
The abattoir included a lairage area, divided into 12 smaller components approximately 12.5 x
4.5 m2/each. There was also one minor zone for sick and injured animals, around 6 x 3 m
2.
The ground consisted of stone, gravel and sand and the fence was made of steel bars
combined with masonry walls, about 1.5 meters tall (see Figure 3 below). Each lairage took 5-
30 animals, depending on the time before slaughter and the total number of animals in the
lairage. One visit with the transportation vehicle to Kara-Alo market was also done, to
observe the transportation system between markets and abattoir.
Figure 3: photo of the lairage at Kera abattoir seen from above
10
4.2 Animals
The observed animals were cattle; both oxen and calves, with different breeds usually mixed
together with the African cattle Zebu and Zebu (see Figure 4). Cattle are, along with sheep
and goats, the most common animals at the markets and abattoir; however sheep and goats are
not included in this study. The total number of animals observed in the study was 442 cattle,
included in 52 groups. The ages of the observed animals varied among adults, with only two
calves observed in the lairage (<1 year old).
Figure 4: photo of some crossbreed Zebu cattle in Ethiopia
4.3 Data collection
The data collection consisted of four different parts: ethological observations in lairage,
recording of slaughter process, observation during transport and an interview with one
employee at Kera abattoir.
4.3.1 Behavioural observations
In the lairage, an ethogram with definitions of the behaviours (Appendix 2) was defined using
literature (Aradom et al., 2012) and adjusted after a two day pilot study during the first week.
See Table 1 for definitions of the 10 most observed behaviours. 46 behaviours were observed,
both human and animal behaviour, and categorised by the observer into five different groups;
natural behaviours, abusive handling, aggressive behaviours, stress-related behaviours and
resistance behaviours. Using a behavioural survey (Appendix 1), the animals and the
stakeholders were observed by two students standing on a platform above the lairage. Each
group of animals consisted of 4-17 animals, in average 9 animals per group. The animals were
randomly selected and observed using instantaneous sampling, with a 6 minute interval and
the animal behaviours were recorded as a frequency. The behavioural survey included
documentation of date, breed, animal condition and number of animals in the group. Each
group also got a survey number when observed in the lairage. Furthermore both a video
camera and a photo camera were used to document the activity for later analyses.
11
Table 1: Definitions of most observed behaviours
Behaviour Definition
Beating of body The stakeholder is beating the animal with an object, ex stick, against the head
Beating of head The stakeholder is beating the animal with an object, ex stick, against the body
Aggressiveness The animal is showing aggressive behaviour with is ears pinned back, eyes
wide open and/or is snapping in the air
Fighting The animal is attacking other animals
Watching around The animal is watching from side to side for observing the environment
Mounting The animal is mounting other animals
Ear Erecting The animal’s ears are erected
Panting The animal is breathing rapid and is gasping for air
Vocalisation 1 The animals are communicating with each other without being stressed or due
to panic
Tail pulling The stakeholder is pulling the tail in order to make the animal move
4.3.2 Recording of slaughter process
During slaughter, the animals and butchers were observed and documented by constant video
camera recording. Two observers were monitoring the animal behaviour, the employees’
work and the slaughter process. The slaughter process was also observed and documented
step by step.
4.3.3 Observation during transport of animals
The transportation of the animals to Kera abattoir was registered by information from the
head department at the abattoir. The origin and distance from where the animals usually came
from was documented. One visit to Kara-Alo market was also done, including going in the
transport vehicle together with two employees from Kera abattoir. The process with loading
of animals at the market and unloading of animals at the abattoir was observed and registered.
This was documented using both camera and video camera.
4.3.4 Interview
Furthermore, one of the employees in the head department of Kera abattoir was interviewed
for approximately 30 minutes using an interview form, outlined in advance (Appendix 3). The
main purpose of the interview was to get further information about the abattoir and the
slaughter process.
4.4 Statistical analysis
Data collected during ethological observations were entered and summarised into Excel
spreadsheet. Occurrence of expressed behaviours was calculated by dividing the number of
animals expressing behaviour by total number of animals examined, to get the percentages
(%). Means were than calculated and used for describing the frequency of expressed
behaviours in the lairage, which then were used for further calculations and analyses.
By using the frequency, data was tested for linear correlations and showed not to be normally
distributed. To be able to use the data for further calculations, the values had to be
manipulated to 0- and 1-values; when behaviours expressed=1 and when behaviours not
expressed=0. The manipulated data was then entered into SAS 9.3 for calculating Kendall’s
tau-b correlation coefficient (τ) with the significant level set to 5% (p-value < 0.05). Abusive
handling by humans was correlated with animal behaviours.
12
5. Results
5.1 Behavioural observations
Appendix 4 shows the total mean values of all 46 observed behaviours, with 8 behaviours
expressed at a level ≥ 10%. In the lairage, injuries and lameness were also observed and
documented. Out of 442 animals, 7% were observed to be lame.
5.1.1 Frequency of behaviours
The frequency of expressed behaviours in the lairage was calculated and the means were then
plotted in linear diagrams and then categorised into five different groups: natural behaviours,
abusive handling, aggressive behaviours, stress-related behaviours and resistance behaviours.
In the lairage the cattle expressed natural behaviours and “watching around” was the most
significant observed behaviour, with a frequency of 20% (Figure 5). The animals also
expressed the behaviours “ear erect” at an incidence of 13%, “vocalisation 1” at 9% and
“moving forward 1” at 8%. However, the natural behaviour “ruminating” was only observed
at 3% in the lairage.
Figure 5: Frequency of natural behaviours expressed by animals in lairage.
The handling of animals by the stakeholders in the lairage was also observed and documented
in the survey. The most frequent behaviours expressed by humans were “beating of the body”
at a frequency of 46% and “beating of the head” with a frequency of 34% (Figure 6). These
two behaviours were observed at significantly high levels and differ from the rest of the
abusive handling behaviours in observed occurrence. The third most observed abusive
behaviour is “tail pulling,” but is yet only expressed 10% and therefore differs 24% from
“beating of the head”.
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
16%
18%
20%
Fre
qu
en
cy o
f b
eh
avio
ur
%
Natural behaviour
13
Figure 6: Frequency of abusive handling of animals in lairage.
The most frequently expressed aggressive behaviours were “aggressiveness,” “fighting” and
“mounting” with occurrences around 20-23% (Figure 7). The animals were observed
expressing “running” for 3% but never as “kicking” or “jumping”.
Figure 7: Frequency of aggressive behaviours expressed by animals in lairage.
Of the stress-related behaviours, “panting” (10%), “moving forward 2” (8%), “vocalising 2”
(6%) and “head swinging” (6%) were the most frequently observed behaviours in the lairage.
Beating whips 1 head
Beating whips 2 body
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Fre
qu
en
cy o
f b
eh
avio
ur
%
Abusive handling
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Aggressive behaviour
14
The behaviours “paralyzed respiration” and “stamping of feet” were never seen and “idling”,
“foaming” and “stretching” were expressed at less than 2% (see Figure 8 below).
Figure 8: Frequency of stress-related behaviours expressed by animals in lairage.
Within the resistance behaviour-group, only one behaviour was significantly expressed; “slips
slightly”, of 8% (Figure 9). “Balking” and “charging at stakeholders” were never seen and
“falls” were only recorded at 1%.
Figure 9: Frequency of resistance behaviours expressed by animals in lairage.
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
7%
8%
9%
10%
Stress-related behaviour
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
7%
8%
Resistance behaviour
15
5.1.2 Kendall’s tau-b correlation coefficient
Using Kendall’s tau-b correlation coefficient abusive handling behaviours by humans were
correlated with some of the animal behaviours within the categories aggressiveness, stress-
related and resistance (see Appendix 5). Six pairs were significant correlated and are shown
below (Table 2).
Table 2: Significant correlations within Kendall’s tau-b correlation coefficients
Abusive handling Behaviour τ p-value
Beating body Aggressiveness -0.287 0.040
Pulling by rope Fighting 0.349 0.013
Pushing by hand Charging at stakeholder
0.306 0.029
Slapping Vocalization 2 0.260 0.063
Kicking the animal Charging at stakeholder
0.388 0.006
Tail pulling Panting 0.281 0.045
5.2 Slaughter process
The slaughter process was observed and documented; see Figure 10 for an overview of the
activities. The animals were delivered to the lairage, between 11.00-16.00, from eight markets
around and outside Addis Abeba. In the lairage, no shelter was provided from sun or heavy
rain and the food and water supply was depending on the costumer’s request, but was usually
not distributed. The animals never stayed overnight, but could be observed waiting in the
lairage up to 11 hours. Before slaughter, the animals were also inspected by a veterinarian
and animals showing any symptoms of infectious diseases were not slaughtered.
After the ante-mortem inspection, the slaughter activities started at 16.00. In average, 15 cattle
were slaughtered at the same time, by approximately four people per animal. The animals
were first collected in a smaller zone; an open area with only metal fences, approximately 10
m2 big. In the “waiting area”, the animals stayed for maximum three minutes, before they
were taken into the slaughter hall for slaughtering.
The slaughter hall was a big, open area with wet and slippery floor that the animals easily
slipped on when they were showing resistance behaviours and refused to move (Figure 11).
During slaughter, no stunning was done but the animals were directly stabbed in the neck, to
make them fall to the ground. During the observations, the butcher was witnessed to miss
several times when performing this stabbing procedure and the eye reflex of the animal was
observed during each stab. When the animal was laying on the ground, still conscious, the
butcher bended the head back and was cutting of the head using a knife. The animal was then
bleeding for several minutes, still lying on the floor; with water constantly streaming around
and directly at the carcass. When the blood flow stopped, the legs were removed and the
carcass was hanged in the hind limbs. Then, the gastrointestinal tracts and skin were removed
and the carcass was divided by an axe into two. Finally, the organs were removed and
inspected together with the carcass, by a veterinarian and two meat inspectors. The accepted
meat was then loaded and transported by vehicle, directly to the costumers with no
refrigerating or cooling before.
16
Figure 10: Slaughter process.
Figure 11: photo of the slaughter process.
During the recording of the slaughter process, carcass and meat quality was also observed. At
the body, large amounts of bruises could be detected as darker areas with clotted blood on the
carcass. The bruises were mostly detected in the back areas, around the upper back and on the
hind limbs. The head and legs were separated from the carcass and could not be inspected.
The meat was not examined further and no pH-value was recorded.
17
5.3 Transportation of animals
Based on information from the head department at Kera abattoir, a supply chain between Kera
abattoir and the supply markets was estimated and mapped (Table 3). To the abattoir, eight
markets were main suppliers; four from Addis Abeba (Figure 13) and four outside the capital
(Figure 12). One study visit was made to Kara-Alo market, where two students joined three
butchers in the vehicle from Kera abattoir. At market, 20 animals were selected and loaded.
The transportation vehicle had no roof, a slippery floor and walls made of steel approximately
2 meters high. Hence, the vehicle was not proper for animal transportation and the animals
had no space to move. The stakeholders were pushing animals onto vehicle, using only man
power and the force of closing gate (Figure 14).
Figure 12: Map of Ethiopia with market 6-10
(see Table 3).
Figure 13: Map over Addis Abeba with market 1-5 (see Table 3).
Table 3: The ten most common animal
markets supplying cattle to Kera abattoir
*Highland area not marked on Figure 12
18
Figure 14: photo of the slaughter process.
5.4 Interview
The interviewed employee has worked at Kera abattoir for nearly 28 years and had a Bachelor
degree in Management, together with diplomas in Animal Heath and Meat Technology. He
worked in the head department and was responsible for the slaughter process at Kera abattoir.
The employee explained how the animals were transported by vehicle from eight different
markets, usually with around 10-20 animals per vehicle, depending on origin and transport
duration. The exception was Kera Market, from where all animals were transported by foot,
since the market was placed less than one kilometre from Kera abattoir. According to the
employee, animals could get injured and in worst case die during transport, due to poor
handling but more common because of bad body condition. He claimed the lack of suitable
vehicles for animal transport and defined the present vehicles as built for other purposes
rather than animal transport.
In the lairage, all animals were inspected by two veterinarians and injured animals, or animals
suspected to have diseases, were not allowed to be slaughtered. The animals usually stayed
for 8-12 hours, but never overnight. Food and water was provided for the animals depending
on the costumer’s request, however, no shelter from weather conditions was provided. The
employee told that injuries and death was not common inside the lairage and if it occurred it
was mainly during dry season when animals could be in very poor body condition. The
animals slaughtered were mainly adult cattle, but also some male calves and horses.
The main problem at Kera abattoir, according to the interviewed employee, was the absence
of reaching up to international standards. Due to lack of educated man power and modern live
animal markets, international standards could not be reached and export of meat was therefore
limited.
19
6. Discussion
In the project, four specific research questions were defined:
1. Which behaviours were frequently observed in the lairage?
2. Are there any correlations between abusive handling by the stakeholders and the
frequently observed animal behaviours?
3. How are the animals slaughtered?
4. From where do the animals come from and how are they transported?
Poor animal welfare was detected; mainly due to lack of education. Correlation between
abusive handling by stakeholders and aggressive and stressed animals was detected several
times. Furthermore, cattle were not expressing natural behaviours such as ruminating. Injuries
in lairage were observed to be 7% out of 442 animals, mainly due to abusive handling by
humans. However, there is a vague difference between animal behaviours expressed due to
abusive handling and animal behaviours expressed due to other factors. For further studies in
animal welfare at abattoirs in Ethiopia, the heart rate and glycogen should be measured. By
using these measurements, the animal behaviours could be further investigated and additional
conclusions could be completed. The behavioural observations can also be improved by
separate different animal groups more and increase the background information about the
animals. By reducing the observed animals and specify the characteristics of interest, focal
sampling could be used and more detailed data could be obtained.
During observations in this study, animal welfare and handling of animals at Kera abattoir
was observed. Several difficulties were found; especially in behavioural observations. First of
all, it was hard to separate the different animal groups that were chosen to be observed. The
animals were moving around in the lairage and all animals could not be seen all the time,
which can be a possible source of error in the behavioural observations. Since the
observations were done by standing above the lairage, some angles of the animal were not
shown, and another possible source of error could be that all expressed behaviours were not
seen. However, to be standing above ground when observing the animals was mainly due to
safety reasons for the observers. When moving around down in the lairage, the risk of being
injured by an animal was high. The climate during the observation could also be affecting the
animal behaviour and the animal handling by the stakeholders. During the observations, the
weather varied from sun and heat to heavy rain. During the sunny periods, the animals were
moving around and were expressing a large number of behaviours; meanwhile during heavy
rain the animals were calm and didn’t move more than necessary. The rain also made the
ground and stones more slippery and the possibility for animals to slip or fall was higher than
during sunny days.
To obtain the international standard regulations and be able to export the meat to western
countries, animal welfare needs to be improved. Possible solutions for animal welfare
problems can be to establish regulations for animal welfare in Ethiopia and develop the
education of animal welfare by stakeholders and butchers working with the cattle. During the
slaughter of cattle, the process should be further investigated; both in the aspect of animal
welfare, hygiene and health risks of polluted meat. Ethiopia’s agricultural sector is one of the
major sources to the national economy (Halderman, 2004) and by improving the livestock of
animals, the poverty in the country can be reduced.
20
6.1 Behavioural observations
6.1.1 Frequencies of behaviours
Out of the 46 behaviours that were observed, 8 behaviours were expressed at a level of ≥ 10%
of frequency. The most repeatedly expressed behaviours were “beating of head” at 46% and
“beating of body” at 34%. The possible answer to why beating of animals was so repeatedly
expressed can be the fact that it is the easiest way to escape animals and make them move.
By looking at the different categories of observed behaviours, the frequency of behaviours
can be easier discussed. Among the natural behaviours, “watching around” and “ear erecting”
were the most frequently expressed behaviours. Animals watching around and performing ear
erecting indicate that the animals were frequently observing the environment. This can be
explained as a possible consequence of constant activity in the lairage; new animals were
frequently arriving and the stakeholders were moving around a lot. The fact that the animals
were not ruminating more than 3% is not normal. Rumination is a natural behaviour for cattle
and other ruminants (Trask & Sigmon, 1999) and the absence of this can depend on the
limited supply of food and/or also due to stress during transport and in lairage. In the group of
aggressive behaviours, “aggressiveness”, “mounting” and “fighting” were the most frequently
expressed behaviours. Furthermore, “panting” was the most frequent observed behaviour; a
behaviour usually expressed when animals are feeling stressed. Among the group with
resistance behaviours, “slips slightly” was the most frequent behaviour. This behaviour is
although an indirect consequence of animal resistance and is hence correlated to “reversal”
and “resistance to be pulled”. One explanation to why the animals are showing resistance can
be the fact that they are in a new environment, in a new group of animals and therefore feel
stress. The stakeholders and butchers handling the animals are probably new to them and may
not handle the animals as they are used to. The background of the animals is not known, but
can vary a lot and so can the previous animal handling. Some of the animals may be used to
humans and handling by humans, meanwhile others can have no or very little experience of
humans. It is also important to count the variation of the butchers and stakeholders; with
different backgrounds in animal handling and previous education. It is also important to take
into account the big variation within number of animals in the different groups; the number
varied from 4-17 animals. The size of the animal group affected the observations in many
ways; both by affecting the possibility to see all animals and their different behaviours
expressed during the observation time. The group size can also affect the animals itself, by
influence the group dynamic and the animal behaviours. A small group with calm animals can
remain calm, and a small group with aggressive and/or stressed animals can make the animals
trigger each other. The same goes for big groups; a large number of calm animals can remain
calm weather a big group with stressed and aggressive animals can increase the stress level in
the group. Furthermore, the animals could be of great variation regarding being used to big
groups and most of the cattle in Ethiopia are used to small herds with 1-3 cattle. This can also
be a stressful factor in the lairage for animals not used to big groups.
6.1.2 Correlations of behaviours
Using Kendall’s tau-b coefficient abusive handling by humans was correlated with animal
behaviours. The most frequent expressed behaviours in the group of abusive handling were
“beating of body” and “beating of head”. This two behaviours were hence tested with
different behaviours expressed by the animals and the behaviour “aggressiveness” were
significant negative correlated with “beating of head” (p-value=5%). This means that when
the abusive handling beating of body is less expressed, the animals show less aggressiveness.
Furthermore, the abusive handling “pulling by rope”, were correlated with “fighting” (p-
21
value=1.3%). Also here, abusive handling by the stakeholders is correlated with an aggressive
behaviour expressed by the animal. Animals exposed to bad animal handling usually feel
stressed (Hemsworth, 2007) and can therefore express fear and aggressive behaviours.
“Pushing by hand” is another abusive handling done by stakeholders at the lairage that is
significant correlated to “charging at stakeholders” (p-value=2.9%). This correlation was also
seen during the observations at the lairage; where the stakeholders were trying to move the
animals by pushing them using their hands, meanwhile the animals were refusing to move and
were charging against the humans. The correlation between “slapping” and the animal
behaviour “vocalisation 2” are also significant (p-value=6.3%). Furthermore, “kicking the
animal” is significant correlated to “charging at stakeholders” (p-value=0.6%) and “tail
pulling” is significant correlated to the stress-related behaviour “panting” (p-value=4.5%). All
this three correlations just confirm animal welfare problems in the lairage. OIE states in their
Terrestrial Animal Health Code (OIE, 2012) the importance of treating the animals with good
animal welfare. In article 7.5, chapter 7.5.3, they specify that “under no circumstances should
animal handlers resort to violent acts to move animals”. According to the Five Freedoms,
stated by (FAWC, 2013), all animals kept by humans should be protected from unnecessary
suffering and be free from pain and discomfort. However, it is important to highlight the
possible source of error of observing animal and human behaviours. Variables of human
interaction and animal behaviours can be affecting on each other and shall be taken into
account when discussing the results.
6.2 Slaughter process
During the recording of the slaughter process, the animals were observed. Throughout the
slaughter, the animals were observed expressing stress-related behaviours; such as
vocalisation 2, head swings and moving forward 2. The environment inside the slaughter hall
was stressful for the animal with high volume and lots of activity by humans and animals. The
first problem to observe during the slaughter process was the wet and slippery floor due to a
constant water and blood flow. When the animals resisted moving, they easily slipped on the
wet floor and both the butchers and animals were exposed to high risk of injuries. The
constant water flow could also be observed as a hygiene problem; the water in Ethiopia is
contaminated with lots of bacteria’s (FAO, 2013) and shall not be in contact with the carcass.
To use water during slaughter can also be a health risk in itself, since wet slaughter has been
shown to have a higher risk of letting bacteria’s grow in the wet environment on the carcass
(Helps, o.a., 2002). To avoid this, the slaughter should be done in a dry environment, non-
favourable for the bacteria’s growth (FAO, 2013). In this aspect, it is also important to further
investigate the time of slaughter; how long does it take between killing and delivery of meat?
The time of slaughter is important in many aspects and can be an important factor for the meat
quality. Another hygiene and health problem is the step where the carcass is divided into two,
by using an axe and cut directly on the bone marrow. As soon as the bone marrow is touched,
the risk of spreading possible Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, BSE, is very high (Helps,
o.a., 2002).
The carcass and meat quality was also observed. At the body, large amounts of bruises could
be detected clotted blood collected as darker areas on the carcass. The bruises were mostly
detected in the back areas, around the upper back and on the hind limbs. The head and legs
were separated from the carcass and could not be inspected. However, the meat was not
examined further and no pH-value was recorded; measurements necessary for further studies
of the DFD and PSE.
22
Regarding the animal handling during slaughter, animal welfare was not taken into consider.
The knowledge about animal welfare among the employees at the abattoir was lacking and the
international guidelines from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE, 2012) were not
followed. During the killing, the animals are fully aware and feel pain (Gregory et al.., 2010).
In this study, the eye reflex could be observed during both the stabbing of the animal’s neck
and cutting of their head, results that verify the previous studies about animals feeling pain.
Regarding the impact of observers during slaughter, the butchers’ behaviours were not taken
into consideration. You can assume that observers influenced the butchers while taking
pictures and video filming, but this is not something that was further investigated.
6.3 Supply chain
The results from this study demonstrate a supply chain between Kera abattoir and eight
markets, most frequently used for supplying cattle to the abattoir; four from Addis Abeba and
four outside the capital. The distance between abattoir and market vary from <1 km to >600
km and can be discussed whether this is a proper supply chain. The markets used from around
Addis is close by, but to transport animals from Jimma, Harar and Borena; more than 450 km
from Addis, is not likely the most effective supply chain. The time of transport cannot be
estimated since little is known about the transport system and little can be said about the
transportation and animal welfare during transport to Kera abattoir. To be able to discuss this,
more information would be needed and a study where the transported animals were followed
and observed should be required. The study visit to Kara-Alo market gave a first hint about
animal welfare during transport and two students got the chance to observe the loading,
transportation and unloading of 20 animals. During the loading, the animals were pushed onto
the vehicle, using man power and by forcefully closing the exit door even though the animals
weren’t completely on the vehicle. Limited space was provided and the animals could easily
get injured and stressed due to the crowded area. Previous studies have presented the lack of
education by butchers and stakeholders transporting animals in Ethiopia (Gebremedhim,
2007) and this can be a severe animal welfare problem. The short distance between Kara-Alo
and Kera abattoir indicated a large number of animal welfare problems during transport,
mainly due to the animal handling. If proper vehicles, with suitable space and environment for
the animals could be used; discomfort for the animals could be prevented in many ways and
the Five Freedoms (FAWC, 2013) could be obtained. The number of dead and injured
animals during transport is not documented in this study, but would be a good measurement
for further studies of the supply chain of cattle in Ethiopia. Injuries due to bad handling and
death, in worst case, can result in a trivial economic loss for the costumer.
6.4 Interview
The interview with one employee at Kera abattoir mainly focused on the present situation for
animals and butchers working on the abattoir. The main problems at Kera abattoir were
shown to be lack of educated staff and the absence of reaching up to international standards,
hence not being able to export meat to western countries.
23
7. Conclusions
During this study, poor animal welfare was detected; mainly due to lack of education and
absence of knowledge in animal welfare. The association between human interaction and
animal behaviours was detected and showed significant correlation between abusive handling
by stakeholders and aggressive and stressed animals. However, the difference between animal
behaviours expressed by abusive handling and by other factors is vague. To draw further
conclusions of the correlations, more distinct groups of animals must be made with more clear
definitions. More studies and research needs to be done, where heart rate and glycogen should
be measured regarding the animal welfare. During the slaughter process many factors can be
additional investigated, and pH-value should be estimated for further conclusions of the meat
quality. Animal welfare, hygiene of meat and the economic loss are all important factors of
the development of cattle slaughter. Finally, to improve animal welfare of cattle in Ethiopia
and hence the agricultural sector, regulations and legislation needs to be implemented.
24
Acknowledgements
First of all I would like to acknowledge the support and generosity of my supervisor,
Professor Girma Gebresenbet at the Department of Energy and Technology (SLU). He has
guided me through my journey and without him; none of my work would have been possible!
I would also like to thank SIDA for the Linneaus Palme scholarship and Monika Halling for
her guidance during my stay in Ethiopia.
I would also like to thank Dr Yilma Seleshi & Dr Berhanu Demessie at Addis Abeba
University for their kindness and support during my stay in Ethiopia. Mr Tadesse Kenea,
previous vice president at Ambo University, have also helped me and introduced me to the
country I now love so much. Thank you for your hospitableness and kindness during my stay
in Ambo! I am also grateful for all the help I have gotten from my assistants Mr Beshada
Gudeta and Mr Tesfay Gudeta throughout my project. I would like to thank Addis Abeba
Kera abattoir and Tekola for their assistant throughout my studies in the abattoir.
My family and friends have been supporting me during the process and for that I am always
grateful. I would especially like to thank my wonderful friend, Ms Ellen Rinell, for helping
and assisting me during my theoretical work. Without her, this paper wouldn’t be the same!
Finally I’d like to thank my co-worker and best friend, Ms Josefine Jerlström, who been with
me in this process and who always inspire me to look beyond the border.
Amasegenaluh.
25
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28
Appendix 1
Behavioural survey
CATEGORY BEHAVIOUR NUMBER OF ANIMALS SUMMATION
Natural behaviour
Rumination
Smelling
Lying
Eliminations
Ear erecting
Tail erecting
Vocalisation 1
Watching around
Turning
Moving forward 1
Abusive handling by stakeholder
Beating of head
Beating of body
Forcing animals to fall
Horn pulling
Kicking animal
Pulling animals forward
Pushing animals forward
Slapping
Stoning
Tail pulling
Aggressive behaviour
Aggressiveness
Fighting
Mounting
Running
Kicking
Jumping
Stress-related behaviour
Idling
Panting
Paralysed respiration
Foaming
Vocalisation 2
Stamping of feet
Stretching
Head swings
Moving forward 2
Resistance behaviour
Charging at stakeholders
Refusing to leave their original place
Resistance to being pulled
Balking
Retreating
Reversing
Injuries
Lameness
Falls
Slipping slightly
Slipping severely
29
Appendix 2
Ethogram with definitions of animal behaviour*
CATEGORY BEHAVIOUR DEFINITION
Natural behaviour
Rumination The animal again chews what has been chewed and swallowed before
Smelling The animal breaths deep, fast and sniff air with the muzzle close to the ground
Lying At least two legs and stomach touches ground
Eliminations The animal urinates or defecates
Ear erecting The animal’s ears are erected
Tail erecting The tail is not in its usual position, i.e. stands up or bent to the left or right side
Vocalisation 1 The animal communicates with other animals, without being stressed or due to panic
Watching around The animal look from side to side and observe the environment
Turning The animal rotate from its original place
Moving forward 1 The animal walk forward
Abusive handling by stakeholder
Beating of head The stakeholder beats the animal with an object, e.g. stick, against its head
Beating of body The stakeholder beats the animal with an object, e.g. stick, against its body
Forcing animals to fall Stakeholders force the animal to fall down on the ground, using rope and/or hands
Horn pulling The stakeholder pulls the animal forward by its horns, using rope and/or hands
Kicking animal The stakeholder kicks the animal to make it move
Pulling animals forward The stakeholder moves the animal forward, by using rope
Pushing animals forward The stakeholder pushes the animal forward or to the side, by using hands
Slapping The stakeholder slaps’ the animal using hands
Stoning The stakeholder throw stones on the
Tail pulling The stakeholder pulls the animal’s tail
Aggressive behaviour
Aggressiveness The animal shows aggressive behaviour, with ears pinned back, eyes wide open and/or is snaps in the air
Fighting The animal attacks other animals and fight
Mounting The animal mounts another animal
Running The animal moves faster than walking
30
*Based on literature: (Aradom et al., 2012)
Kicking The animal kicks against the stakeholder
Jumping The animal jumps with less than two feet touching ground
Stress-related behaviour
Idling The animal stands/lies down and do not want to move
Panting The animal breaths rapid and inhales for air
Paralysed respiration The animal breaths slow due to stress
Foaming The animal produces saliva in large amount
Vocalisation 2 The animal vocalise with high squeals due to stress or panic
Stamping of feet The animal stamps with one or more feet on the ground
Stretching The animal extends the body due to stress
Head swings The animal swing head from side to side
Moving forward 2 The animal moves faster due to stress or panic
Resistance behaviour
Charging at stakeholders The animal charges at stakeholders
Refusing to leave their original place
The animal stands still and refuses to move
Resistance to being pulled The animal stand up and resists to being pulled by stakeholders
Balking The animal lies down and resists to being moved by stakeholders
Retreating The animal moves backwards
Reversing The animal changes direction and moves against animal flow
Injuries
Lameness The animal is lame on one or more legs
Falls The animal falls down with any part of the body touching ground
Slipping slightly The animal loses its balance temporarily but remains straight
Slipping severely The animal loses its balance and almost fall down
31
Appendix 3
Interview with Tekola at Addis Abeba Kera abattoir
1. How long have you worked at the abattoir?
______________________________________________________________________
2. What is your background? Education?
______________________________________________________________________
TRANSPORT
3. From where are you collecting animals? How many km from Kera and how long time does the
transport take?
______________________________________________________________________
4. How many animals do you have in one vehicle?
______________________________________________________________________
5. Are there any injured animals during transport?
______________________________________________________________________
6. Are there any dead animals during transport?
______________________________________________________________________
7. Are the injured animals treated? Are there any veterinaries on the abattoir? What is there role?
______________________________________________________________________
8. How do you choose the animals that you buy?
_____________________________________________________________________
9. Do you see any problem with the transport system?
______________________________________________________________________
LAIRAGE
10. Is there provision of the following management activities at the lairage?
Rest Yes
Shelter No
Food Yes How often? _______________________________
Water Yes How often? _______________________________
11. Is it usual with injured animals in the lairage?
______________________________________________________________________
12. Is it usual with dead animals in the lairage due to bad condition?
______________________________________________________________________
13. What are you doing with the calves? Are they slaughtered?
______________________________________________________________________
14. How long are the animals at the lairage before slaughter?
______________________________________________________________________
32
ABATTOIR
15. How do you consider meat yield & quality?
Meat yield __________________________________
Meat colour __________________________________
Bruising __________________________________
Fat colour __________________________________
Fat quantity __________________________________
16. What happens with the …..?
Skin __________________________________
Carcass __________________________________
Hooves __________________________________
Head __________________________________
Blood __________________________________
Organs __________________________________
17. At the abattoir, what do you consider as the main problem?
_____________________________________________________________________
18. The illegal meat, where do you collect it? Why is it illegal? Is there any punishment?
_____________________________________________________________________
33
Appendix 4
Means of the frequencies of all, 46 observed behaviours at Addis Abeba Kera abattoir.
34
Appendix 5
Significant correlations, calculated by Kendall’s tau-b coefficient, highlighted in yellow.
I denna serie publiceras examensarbeten (motsvarande 15, 30, 45 eller 60
högskolepoäng) vid Institutionen för husdjurens utfodring och vård, Sveriges
lantbruksuniversitet. Institutionens examensarbeten finns publicerade på SLUs
hemsida www.slu.se.
In this series Degree projects (corresponding 15, 30, 45 or 60 credits) at the Depart-
ment of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural
Sciences, are published. The department's degree projects are published on the
SLU website www.slu.se.
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet Fakulteten för veterinärmedicin och husdjursvetenskap Institutionen för husdjurens utfodring och vård Box 7024 750 07 Uppsala Tel. 018/67 10 00 Hemsida: www.slu.se/husdjur-utfodring-vard
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science Department of Animal Nutrition and Management PO Box 7024 SE-750 07 Uppsala Phone +46 (0) 18 67 10 00 Homepage: www.slu.se/animal-nutrition-management